Apparatus for handling sheet metal



June 23, 1931. w. E. wATKlNs 1,811,374

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SHEET METAL v ATTORNEYS.

Jun 23,1931. wawATKINS 1,811,374

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SHEET METAL Filed Sept. 6, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 23, 1931 UNITED STATES WILLIAM E. WATKINS, OF NEW YORK, N.

TUBE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N.

Y., ASSIGNOR TO COPPER PLATE SHEET & Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SHEET METAL Application led September handling sheet metal, and more particularly to means for flattening or decrowning arched metal sheets. This application is a continuation, in part, of my copending application,

Serial No. 116,486, filed June 16, 1926.

In the said application I have disclosed a complete process of treating sheet metal and apparatus therefor in which the sheets This invention relates to apparatus for 10 are arched and pickled, then decrowned or flattened, dried, cold rolled, coated, if desired, with a film of oil, again arched, then annealed While in arched form, again pickled and washed, and then passed through a straightening apparatus.

The present application is directed to the decrowning or flattening apparatus by means of which the arched sheets are flattened. In my copending application the decrowning mechanism consists of two converging sets of rollers between which the arched sheets are fed. In the present invention, I employ conveyors consisting of strips connected to parallel endless conveyor chains, and two of the conveyors are arranged in converging planes in the manner disclosed in my earlier applications.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal,

. sectional view of the decrowning mechanism arranged at the outlet end of an annealing furnace;

Fig. 2 is a in section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical, transverse, sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the tra-nsverse strips of the conveyor; and

Fig. 5 is a front elevation thereof.

The drawings illustrate a delivery casing l arranged at the outlet end of the annealing furnace disclosed and claimed in my cepending application referred to above. This casing encloses an auxiliary conveyor 2 which serves to pick up the sheets from the furnace conveyor 3 and deliver them to the decrowning mechanism forming the subject matter of this application. The delivery chamber 1 and the decrowning mechanism are all in open communication with the furnace chamber. The decrowning mechanism is arranged plan view, partsbeing shown s, 1929.v vserial No. 390,787.

in a chamber or casing 4 and comprises two endless conveyors 5 and 6 arranged to converge at the rear end of the decrowning mechanism. The sheets are carried forward by the'lcwer conveyor 6 and are spread out fiat as they come in contact with the upper conveyor 5. The conveyors consist of chains 7 passing over suitable sprockets. The lower conveyor passes over sprockets 8 and 9 mounted on shafts 10 and 11, respectively, adjacent the opposite ends of the casing and th-e upper conveyor passes over sprockets 12 and 13 mounted on shafts 14 and 15, respectively. The pair of chains forming each conveyor are connected by cross strips 16 which are riveted to the links of the conveyor chain as indicated at 17 in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Thelower conveyor is provided with suitable means to prevent lateral movement of the sheets. As shown, I provide a lug 18'adjacent each side of each of the lateral strips 16 and these lugs project upwardly and engage the edge of the sheet to prevent lateral movement of the sheet, if' the sheet moves toward the sideof the conveyor. Instead of placing the lugs on each of the lateral strips, they may be spaced at suitable intervals so that there will always be a lug in position to engage a portion of the edge of the sheet ifk the sheet moves laterally. The flattening device may be driven in any suitable manner. As shown (see Fig. 3) a sprocket 19 is arranged on the shaft 11 and a chain 20 passes over this sprocket. The chain is connected to any suitable source of power (not shown). The opposite end of this shaft also carries a sprocket adapted to receive a chain 21 passing over a sprocket on the adjacent shaft 15 of the upper conveyor.

The operation of the device will be apparent from the foregoing description. The arched sheet is fed forwardly on the lower conveyor 6 and its arched surface is engaged by the upper converging conveyor 5. As the sheet approaches the rear end of the casing, it is flattened by the convergence of the two conveyors and after it leaves the conveyors it passes through suitable straightening rollers 22 which may be driven in ally Suitable manner.

2 A i v 1,811,374 c I claim: Y l. A sheet flattening device for flattening arched metal sheets comprising a pair of conveyors arranged in converging planes to flat- 5 ten the sheets as they advance through the device, each of said conveyors comprising a pair of side chains spacedapa'rta distance greater than the width of the sheet, transverse strips connecting said chains, and means for driving one of said conveyors to advance the sheet. 2. A sheet flattening device for flattening arched sheets comprising an endless conveyor consisting of a pair of side chains spaced apart a distance greater than the' width of `the sheet and transverse strips connecting said side chains, a second conveyor arranged over said first conveyor and comprising a pair of side chains and transverse strips connect-y ing said side chains, the lower flight of said second conveyor converging toward the upper flight of said iirst conveyor and being adapted to engage the arched central portion off a sheet traveling on said iirst conveyor, and means carried by the transverse strips ofsaid iirstconveyor to prevent lateral movement of the sheets.y v l 3. A sheet flattening device for flattening arched sheets comprising an endless conveyor so consisting of .a pair of side chains spaced lapart a distance greater than the width ofA the sheet and transverse strips connecting said side chains, a second conveyor arranged over said flrstconveyo'r and comprising a pair of side chains and transverseV strips connecting said side chains,the lower flight of l said second conveyor converging toward thev upper flight of said first conveyor and being f adapted toengage the arched cent-ralporf. 40 tion of a sheetv traveling on said first conveyor, and lugs carried by the transverse strips of the first conveyor to restrict the lateral movement of the sheets.

In testimony whereof I aliiX my'signature. i Y WILLIAM 143.*WATKIllS.V-` 

